Sign holder having recessed rotatable side members



J. H. STOKS Jan. 25, 1949.

SIGN HOLDER HAVING REcEssED ROTATABLE sIDE MEMBERS Filed Deo. 19, 1944 Patented Jan. 2.5, 1949 i SIGN HOLDER HAVING RECEKSSED ROTT- l ABLE SIDE MEMBERS John Heyward Stokes, Atlanta, Ga. l Application December 19, 1944, Serial No. r568,829 s claims. (o1. io-1254) `Generically'this invention relates to sign supporting mediums or holders, vbut it more especially is directed to such a holder adapted for both outdoor and indoor advertising display purposes.

One of the principal objects of this invention is theprovision of an advertising display supporting frame or holder, in Which is insertable and removable a cardboard or other panel of display indicia, and means operable to secure and release said panel with respect to said frame.

. Another important object of this invention is the provision of a supporting frame or holder having its side members recessesd to engage the side edges of an advertising display bearing or supporting cardboard or other panelmaterial, and means carried by said'frame adapted to engage the ends of said panel and movable to panel locking and releasing positions to secure .the display-surface in the frame without the use of nails, tacks, paste, glue, or the like.

A still further object` of this inventionis the provision of a billboard frame or holder having means extending longitudinally of its side members adapted to retainingly engage the side edges ofl an advertising display vpanel element or plurality of superimposed elements mounted intermediate said side members, andfbrace means interconnecting said side members adjacent each end of said panel elements, said brace means being rotatable to normal retaining engagement y with the end of the exposed panel to retain the panels in the frame, and 1n the reverse direction to release the same, whereby the respective panels may be successively removed to expose to View the display matter of the underlying panel.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the'construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference I indicate like`Y` parts throughout the several gures, of which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved sign holder or frame device. f

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the side bars on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a similar View to Fig. 3 with the Vdisplay or sign medium removed.

2 Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one ofthe lockingor sign retaining members.

Uv'Bill-board and .other advertising display frames and holders heretofore employed, especially for outdoor use, havepresented many disadvantages, such as, being expensive to construct, necessitating applying a coating of paste and the like to the surface of the frame or, holder and/or tothe back of the display medium, or by nailing, tacking, or otherwise securing the display surface against displacement by theelements.' Further, the display is frequently changed, and each time .this proceduremust be repeated, and often' the old surface must be first tornV oi leaving a'ragged or uneven base, and it was to overcomesuch disadvantages by providing a novel supporting and holding frame adapted to contain one or a pluf rality of Ydisplay'panel elements, andmeans'in.- s tantly operable to panel-or sign element, scuring or removing positions, thereby 'permitting their ready installation or removal, that lI Vdesigned the device forming-the subject matter of this invention.

In the rillustratedembodiment characterizing this invention there is shown an advertising display; or ysignl holder comprising a rectangular frame (A) formed With parallel sidebars or members l, in the present instance, with the\op :posite yfront corners rounded off as at 2 vand ad jacent thereto formed With a pair ofI spaced openings 3 and 4, respectively. Mounted in the opposite openings `3 ofthe respective vsidebars I are thecross bars or end members 5 of a length slightly greater than the Width of the frame and which are rmly secured tothe side bars by nails or other fastening means 6, or in any well known manner. A sign bearing medium 1 of cardboard -or other suitable material is adapted to be in,- serted in said frame, and rotatably Amounted in thehorizontally opposite openings yl spaced from 'end bars 5 at each end of the frame are the rotatable locking and releasable members 8 adapted for releasable engagement with the ends of the sign or displaymedium I1, as will directly more fullyappear. lThe members 8 are retained in said openings and ,against endwise movement by the end blocks 9 also'mo'unted in said openings 4 and fixedly retained by nails 6 or other suitable means. Each of said locking members 8 is formed with a segmental cut out portion l0 extending throughout its length, and, in the present instance, the walls of Which are at substantial obtuse angles to each other.

The inner side surfaces of side bars I areV formed with longitudinal grooves or recesses Il intersecting at each end the openings 4 at points off center and nearer their rear edges. This construction including and in conjunction with the locking bars 8 permits the use of a plurality of superimposed display elements or sheets 1, or a heavier single element, and their insertion in or removal from the frame as desired, and in order that this may be facilitated in: connection, with the heavier stock, the` outer edgesv of saidrecesses II may be slightly :beveled or rounded as at I2.

Interconnecting the side bars I spaced inwardly from members 8 are the brace members I3 ilush with the bottom wall of grooves I-I so that in addition to strengtheningl the frame they constitute a bed or support for the cardboard or other advertising display panels-or-slieets-carryl ing the advertising indicia or other display VInat-` ter I4.

The, sign holder or frame (A) may be constructed of any suitable material and of any size, hungby bracket members I5 from either the side or end. placed on a suitable support or otherwise mounted for outside or inside use, dependingA upon the, exigencies of the particular requirements. Where the display panel is of cardboardor other substantially stiff material no backing member is necessary,y and such cardboard could also serve as a backing. where it is` desiredv to use a thin display sheet or number of superimposed sheets to be successively removed, following a predetermined display period, or, a suitable backing panel or board may be used and/or permanently attached to the frame if desired'.

The displaymembers or panels 'If are of' a width soA that when flattened out` theside edges' extend within the recesses II' and of` af. length so that their ends will extend toA substantially the center of openings 4; and withinV the segmental out out portionsA I0.

To place in or load the holder or device with one or more of the display elements, it* is only necessary to rotate the end members Il4 to position the cut` out portions IIJv facing each other and suiciently open to receive the ends of the panels, then spring the display panel slightly to engage its or their side edges' in the recesses I I` andy then rotate members 8'tobring their upper edges or walls into binding or' locking engagement with the exposed surface ofthe display panel toV securely fasten or lock said panel or panels in the frame. To remove the panels or a panel it is necessary to forcibly actuate saidmembers: 8` to their initial open positions.-

From the above description it is. apparentzthat I have designed a sign-board' or holder for advertising or other display indicia, posters, and the like, especially applicable to outdoor'use but` also adapted for indoor display purposes: as well; one manufacturable at a negligible cost, pleasing in appearance, versatile in its adaptive use, and etllcient forv the purposes intended.

Although in practice ithasbeen ioundrthat the form of the invention .illustrated inthe accompanyingl drawings1 andjreferred to irr the` above description as the preferred embodiment is: the most em'cient and practical, yet` realizing: that conditions concurrent with the adoption of the device will necessarily vary, it is desired to emphasize that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is desired protectedby Letters Patent is as set forth in the following claims: l. A magazine poster display device comprisingl a retaining frame defining an opening, said frame beingformedfwithin said opening with a seat adapted to receive a plurality of posters, and-.locking elements at opposite edges of the magazine and Within the frame for engaging the opposite free edges' of the outermost poster within-,- the:V magazine, said locking elements being channeled to provide a poster engaging surface and partially rotatable to position said surface into locking and' unlocking engagement withthe exposed surface of the outermost poster whereby to lock said posters in said seat and to permit their removal therefrom.

21A poster display device comprising a retaining irame defined by parallel side members, means interconnecting said side members and forming within said frame a poster receiving seat, said members being formed with means adapted to receivingly engage opposite edges of a `poster when in position in said seat, and roller locking elements carried by said side members and situated' at the opposite ends ofv said seat, said roller elements being formed to provide poster engaging surfaces4 and partially rotatable to position said surfacesY into lockingY and releasing engagement withV the exposed'y poster surface whereby to lock said' poster in said seat and permit its removal therefrom.

3. A posterl display device comprising a retaining frame dened by parallel members, means interconnectingsaid' parallel members and forming'within saidframe a seat adapted to receive a pluralityl of posters, and'roller locking elements carried byA said members andlocated at opposite edgesY of said" seat, saidV roller elements being formed4 to provide means having poster engaging and releasing positions and partially rotatable to position said means into locking and releasing engagement with theA exposed surface of the outerrnost poster, and successively with each of the remaining posters upon release and removal of an outermost poster.

JOHN'I-IEIYWARD STOKES.

REFERENCES CITED' The, following references are of recordv in the le, of this patent:

UNITED STATES, PATENTS Number Name Date.

381,342 DeLand ...F- .z- API. 1.7.,1888 168,832 Smerno Jan. 18, 1916 1,692,999 Siegel Nov; 27, 1928 1,934,532 Hallowell Nov. 27J` 1933 

